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1967 - 1972 F-100 & Larger F-Series Trucks Discuss the Bumpsides Ford Truck

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Old Feb 16, 2021 | 07:26 PM
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Steering

My '72 f250 rear drive 390 pu steering is under powered. It's a little hard to turn. I had the power steering pump rebuilt (leaking) and added new lines, but that didn't help. Should I change the steering gear box? Or is it normal for this truck to have firm steering?
 
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Old Feb 16, 2021 | 09:05 PM
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Old Feb 17, 2021 | 07:37 AM
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Originally Posted by cyretired2
My '72 f250 rear drive 390 pu steering is under powered. It's a little hard to turn. I had the power steering pump rebuilt (leaking) and added new lines, but that didn't help. Should I change the steering gear box? Or is it normal for this truck to have firm steering?
No, not normal. My '69 f250 will turn with one finger on the wheel. Possible you have another problem in the front suspension?
 
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Old Feb 17, 2021 | 09:34 AM
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Thanks

Maybe so, it tracks well though, I'll have looked at. The brakes are good, inspected them but have to push harder than normal, I'll have that checked as well. Thanks for the heads up.
 
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Old Feb 17, 2021 | 09:39 AM
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You may have a frozen king pin. It's not uncommon if the truck sat up for a while.
 
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Old Feb 17, 2021 | 09:50 AM
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If anything, my truck is too easy to turn. Something's up with yours. Is the pump noisy?
 
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Old Feb 18, 2021 | 06:29 PM
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Thanks....
 
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Old Feb 18, 2021 | 08:01 PM
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Make sure you don't have a bind in the rag joint. Collapsing front cab mounts can cause a misalignment between the steering column and the gearbox. You can often see distortion in the rag joint when it does this. I'd jack up the front end and repeat your tests to see if you can turn the wheels by hand and if the steering wheel is still hard or easier. Air trapped in the system can make the pump act like it is working but you won't get any boost. The first two pumps that I got from Autozone didn't pump at all. Third time was a charm.
 
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Old Feb 18, 2021 | 11:31 PM
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The rag joint was replaced a while ago, no differance in steering, The pump is ordinal to the truck but was rebuilt at the shop along with new lines. I'll have him check for air. One other thing but I don't think it's the problem, the steering column TOP bearing is worn (loose) with some play in it. I plan to replace the column with a new adjustable one. I'm wondering now that it could be as simple as needing a grease job, who knows when that was done. I have the grease pump and grease, I'll try that before sending out.
Thanks a lot for the tip.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2021 | 12:51 AM
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Air in the system is not possible. The pump only pumps fluid under pressure so when it pressurizes the box it is then bleed back to the pump and the cycle is competed. Either the pump is not doing this or the box is toast.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2021 | 04:38 AM
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Makes sense. I know how to replace one but it's been a while and my disability stops from doing a lot, so I will let my mechanic check the whole system out.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2021 | 08:10 PM
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2X on both the cab mounts and grease for the king pins.
 
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Old Feb 19, 2021 | 08:41 PM
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👍🙂....................
 
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